


Merrymaking

by snack_size



Category: Pacific Rim
Genre: Christmas Fluff, Fluff and Smut, Kid Fic, Lumpy Sweaters for Everyone, M/M, Size Kink
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-22
Updated: 2013-12-22
Packaged: 2018-01-05 13:50:02
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,760
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1094634
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/snack_size/pseuds/snack_size
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The surviving Jaeger pilots and their adopted children reunite for the second Christmas after they close the Breach. </p><p>Chuck is grumpy and doesn't understand babies, Mako is sensible, Raleigh is the most adorable size queen ever, and Herc is a little baffled by the whole thing and really cold. Good thing there are plenty of lumpy sweaters to go around.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Merrymaking

**Author's Note:**

  * For [dytabytes](https://archiveofourown.org/users/dytabytes/gifts).



> A Christmas gift for the amazing and lovely Toast based on some of our conversations. 
> 
> This is tooth decay inducing fluff that ends with unremitting smut.

Christmas was close to the anniversary of the Breach closing and it made all of them in high demand. The first Christmas they had hid, each with their own reason for not wanting to relive things in public. Raleigh was the one to point out that they might as well hide out together, next year - and he would later claim that this also meant that he had got everything together. The actual organization had fallen to Mako.

“You will get to meet Evie and Nick,” Mako said as she held Kira’s hand and walked her towards the house. “And Uncle Herc and...Uncle Chuck?” She pressed her lips together, not sure if Chuck qualified as an uncle or what, really, if Herc was an uncle and...

“собака!” said Kira. Mako nudged her. “Dog!”

“His name is Max,” said Mako, and Kira smiled up at her.

“Yes, momma,” she said.

She smiled back and remembered when she had gone to Vladivostock to look at the Shatterdome and to see what could be salvaged and used. Someone suggested she go to the prison where the Kaidanovsky’s used to work - and it had been turned into an orphanage. Mako would have taken them all, but she did not have the ability. Kira was four and learning English from a volunteer. Her eyes were huge and brown.

“She says she knows who you are,” the volunteer said, translating from Kira’s Russian.

“Mako Mori,” said Kira. She smiled at Mako and spoke in Russian again.

“She said,” the volunteer translated, “that her parents died from the kaiju too.”

“I do not know them,” Kira said, in English.

It took Mako back to the moment when she had stood in front of Stacker, seeing him for the first time.

She might have been inspired by Raleigh - a woman had called him earlier in February, after the anniversary, and said that they had determined that he was a living relative of two children who had recently been processed through their foster care system. He hadn’t even asked for proof. Mako had searched for it regardless - they were, legitimately, his cousin’s children. _All I’ve got left,_ Raleigh said, and she had shook her head. He did not need to give her justification.

Mako rented a cabin in Northern Vermont to guarantee snow. It was, Mako decided, not so much a cabin as a luxury chalet - fully stocked with all of the groceries and booze she and Herc had requested. The owners had also put up an enormous tree in the main room and strung it with lights. The ornaments were neatly packaged in boxes so that they could put them up. This was what you got when you saved the world, Mako thought.

“We should find your room,” Mako said. There was a small room attached to her own. “This is very nice,” Mako said. Kira nodded. She was still not used to things being this nice.

“Dog!” Kira shouted - she heard Max’s bark before Mako had.

“Yes,” Mako said. “We should go and say hello.”

“Fucking hell!” Chuck said, from the foyer. “It’s still fucking cold as balls-”

“There are children-” Herc injected.

“My first word was fuck, old man, where do you think that I got that from?” Chuck asked. Max bounded into the kitchen and Mako embraced the dog.

“Oi, hello,” Chuck said. He pulled the knit cap off of his head and Mako was surprised to see how shaggy his hair was.

“May I pet dog?” Kira asked, appearing from behind Mako.

“Hello,” Herc said, and he leaned down and beamed at Kira. “Of course, he’s very nice. Here, just hold your hand out-” He held his hand under Max’s slobbering mouth, and Kira followed.

“Say hello to Uncle Herc,” Mako said.

“Hello,” Kira said. She glanced at Herc, concerned, and then reached forward and gingerly touched Max’s head. Max huffed and slobbered a bit more. “He is... бархатистый,” Kira said. Mako had her phone out immediately and typed it in.

“Silky,” she said. “Soft.”

“He is,” Herc said, and pat Kira on the head. She beamed up at him. Mako was surprised, given how Chuck had turned out, that Herc was so good with children. But then again - you could be good with children and bad with teenagers. Or just Chucks.

“Say hello to Uncle Chuck,” Mako said as Kira finally looked . Kira stood and looked up at Chuck.

“Hello, Uncle Chuck,” she said. “You fought kaiju with momma?”

Chuck blinked at her, then nodded his head. “Yeah,” he said. “I did.” Kira gave him a slight bow, then sat down and began to pet Max again.

Chuck looked at Mako and shook his head. “Momma,” he said. Mako shrugged. “Got hot anything around here? It is freezing out there.” Chuck flung open the doors of the refrigerator. Herc shook his head.

“Cider,” Mako said. She removed some whiskey from the cabinet. “You will be glad for it, once Raleigh and the...children arrive.” If there was any doubt as to their relation, the boundless energy of Evie and Nick would silence any doubters.

She put the cider in the pan with some spices and heat it through while catching up with Herc and Chuck - it had been almost six months since she had seen them, since before Kira. She wanted to apologize because she felt there was something stiff between the three of them. It would just be awkward, though - she should have better kept in touch.

They had taken a few sips of their cider when there was the sound of slamming car doors from outside. “Great,” Chuck said.

“Uncle Ralya!” Kira said. She stood up.

“Oi, so she gets to-”

“She cannot quite pronounce his name yet,” Mako said. Chuck rolled his eyes.

Mako wished she could have seen the expression on Chuck’s face when he saw Raleigh emerge from the rental car. Evie, just over a year, was strapped to his chest in one of those elaborate baby holders. Four year-old Nick was tucked against his hip like a football, only his eyes left uncovered by one of those puffy snow suits that made it impossible for children to move it them.

“You need help, Raleigh?” Herc called and stepped outside before he got any confirmation.  
“Oh, shit!” he said, hitting the deep cold air in just his henley.

“Naw, kids are squishy and flexible,” Raleigh said, and handed a diaper bag and a duffel to Herc.

“Chuck isn’t,” Herc said as they walked inside.

“Not a kid,” Chuck replied. “Those are kids.”

Raleigh pulled the snowsuit off of Nick, revealing what had to be a hand knit navy blue sweater with a green “N” on the front. Mako smiled when Raleigh released Evie, in her “E” sweater, and then revealed his own “R” sweater.

“You have got to be-”

“Those are, very, uh, nice, Raleigh,” Herc said, though he seemed to be assessing Raleigh’s mental health as well. _Keeps my hands busy, my mind off of things_ Raleigh explained to Mako, when she had called to thank him for the hat and scarf he made for her birthday.

“Thanks,” Raleigh said.

“Be careful, or he’ll make you one,” Chuck said.

“Hello, Chuck,” Raleigh said.

“Could do with a sweater, actually,” Herc said. “It is pretty dam-dang cold.”

“You said there was a doggy,” Nick said, tugging at Raleigh’s sweater. He had a dog hat with ears with the ear flaps were. “I want to play with the doggy and pet the doggy and - hello, Kira!” Kira gave Nick a shy smile.

“I’ll get you a sweater, Herc,” Raleigh said.

* * *

Herc looked fairly adorable in the Christmas sweater that Raleigh gave him. He poured some more whiskey into his cider and quickly got Chuck, Mako, and Raleigh on decorating the tree. Then he got down on the ground with the kids to play with Max and some of their stuffed toys.

“He is doing very well with them,” Mako said. She had been unsure about Max, only because he wasn’t used to children.

“Surprise, surprise,” Chuck said. Raleigh elbowed him in the stomach.

“Daddy,” said Evie, and Chuck startled and looked down at her. “Daddy, daddy, doggy!”

“Yes, doggy,” said Raleigh. “What?”

“It talks?” Chuck asked.

“Yeah, she’s over a year old - of course she talks,” Raleigh said.

“He doesn’t have any experience with children,” Herc said. He scooped Evie up and wiggled her around a bit, then began to dance with her to the Christmas music that was playing. She giggled and grabbed at his sweater.

“Me next!” said Nick, tugging at Herc’s pants. “I can dance too.”

“Do you want to dance?” Mako asked Kira. She shook her head and pet Max’s head. Mako nodded - she remembered what it had been like, when Stacker had first adopted her and she was surrounded by people in a place where everyone spoke a different language and the customs were all different.

Herc had both of Raleigh’s kids - it was still odd for her to think of that - in his arms and he was grinning. Chuck rolled his eyes.

“S’ok, Kira, you should dance with Max anyway,” Herc said. “He doesn’t have anyone to dance with, because Chuck is a poop.”

“Poop!” said Evie.

Nick frowned at Chuck, like he was sad for him. Mako watched as Kira went over and pet Max, then looked at Chuck. “Poop?”

“Uh…” Mako said. “нет весело (No fun).” Kira considered this and then nodded her head.

“What?” Chuck said.

“No fun,” Mako replied. Herc still had the kids in his arms and he nodded his head as well.

“Always a bit serious, Chuck - course, why you were the best...still, it’s Christmas.”

“Santa!” said Evie.

“She knows an awful lot of words,” Chuck said, and he regarded the child suspiciously.

* * *

The next day, after breakfast, Nick had a serious question that he wanted to ask - as judged by how long he was willing to cling to Raleigh’s sweater until he paid attention to him. “Are we gonna make cookies?” Nick asked. “Santa has to get cookies!”

“Oh, I - I’m not sure,” Raleigh said. He looked over at Mako.

“I do not think we have-”

“Oi, not a problem,” Herc said. “Just let me know what you need and I’ll go and get something. Need some more provisions.”

“Yes,” Mako said. She should have factored in the Australian’s drinking tendencies when she had ordered their supplies. “That would be most appreciated.”

* * *

Herc had never had a white Christmas before. He definitely understood the appeal. Unless you were driving. Though he was pretty pleased - he only spun out twice which, for his first time, he thought was pretty good.

Though some might argue, having piloted a Jaeger, he should have avoided it entirely.

Herc wasn’t sure what to expect when he came back - the kids were adorable, and even with Chuck being...Chuck things were going really well. Better than last Christmas, trying to dodge interview requests and cramped in the rental house he and Chuck had in Sydney with an artificial Christmas tree.

“Dad!” Chuck said, and Herch hadn’t heard that tone in Chuck’s voice in a long while. He sat the bags of groceries and booze down and looked at his son.

“Yes, Chuck?”

“Look at this bullshit,” Chuck said.

The living room had been destroyed - the cushions removed from the massive wrap-around couch, blankets stretched over pieces of furniture, and Christmas lights strung around the fort that now occupied the space next to the Christmas tree. “Aw, it’s just a little fun-” Herc said, but then noticed that there was a sign taped to the fort’s entrance: _No Poops Allowed_ and, in smaller letters underneath, _this means u Chuck_.

Herc had to laugh - Chuck did sort of deserve it. But then, after looking at the expression on his son’s face, he wondered if this might have been where he had failed Chuck as a parent. He never did understand his serious, single-minded, driven son. “Well,” he said. “Looks like we’ll have to take it by force.”

“I’d like to see you try!” Raleigh called from within, and Max barked. _Oh dear,_ Herc thought, _they’d even got Max._ He glanced over at Chuck, who had an all-too familiar scowl on his face. _Yes, this is probably about where I went wrong._

“C’mon,” Herc said. “We need to get some armor.”

“Why can’t we just-”

“Chuck,” Herc said, and he softened his voice. “It’s OK to play along.” His impetus was to say, _do you want to be a poop, or what?_ but now, with new insight…

They went to Raleigh’s room, where Herc put Chuck in a garish Christmas sweater. Raleigh had brought an awful lot of them - Herc didn’t want to put too much thought into it, though. “Fucking hell,” said Chuck, glancing down at the reindeer dancing with polar bears on his front.

It took a bit longer to find something suitable for their aerial bombardment, but Herc discovered a large plastic bin of tennis balls in the mud room - presumably there was tennis court buried under the snow somewhere. “Should take down the fort’s structure,” he said. “And distract the guard dog.”

“Ha,” Chuck said, and Herc grinned at him.

“We demand entrance!” Herc said, when they got back to the living room.

“Never!” said Nick.

Herc nodded at Chuck. “Uh, you’ll regret this?” he said, and then tossed a tennis ball to a point where a blanket joined with a couch cushion. The cushion caved in.

“Raleigh!” Mako said, “Maintain integrity!” A stuffed bean bag animal came out the front of the fort and hit Herc right in the groin. Inside, Raleigh laughed.

Max, as predicted, emerged with a ball.

“Max!” Kira said.

“He is a…”

“Traitor,” Raleigh supplied.

“Yeah! A poop!” Nick said. Chuck launched another ball at the fort, collapsing what appeared to be an integral support.

“Don’t know if you can withstand the assault, mate,” Herc said.

Murmured sounds came from within the fort, then Raleigh poked his head out. “Do you have any candy?”

Herc nodded - he’d bought a bunch at the grocery store, really pleased with the whole pick and mix bulk concept.

“You may enter,” Raleigh said.

“Nice and cozy,” Herc said, settling in down next to Raleigh and immediately scooping Evie into his lap. The little girl was adorable, and looked more like Raleigh than she probably had any right too - wide blue eyes, big smile, a tuft of thick blonde hair that stuck out at an odd angle.

Chuck grabbed Max and scooted in next to Nick and narrowed his eyes at him. Herc sighed - he had always wanted grandchildren, but it appeared the best he could hope for were granddogs. Not that there was anything wrong with Max.

He took a finger and touched it to Evie’s nose. “Boop,” he said.

“Ha!” she replied. Herc circled the finger around Evie’s face, watching as she followed it. He’d done well when Chuck was little, he was pretty sure, they had lots of epic adventures in the yard and there had been plenty of soccer practice and rough housing. It was just - well.

“Boop!” he said, finally touching Evie’s nose. She squealed.

“She’s adorable,” Herc said.

“So am I!” Nick added.

“Yes you are,” Herc said and gave a pointed look to Chuck. He reached over and half-heartedly ruffled the kids hair.

* * *

“Do you know how to make cookies?” Herc asked, as the four of them were faced with a table full of the supplies he’d bought at the shop. He wasn’t directing the inquiry to anyone in particular.

The other three shook their heads. “We will just follow the recipe,” Mako said. She glanced over to where all of the kids were sleeping, cuddled in a pile in the remnants of the collapsed tent. Max was sprawled amongst them. “It cannot be that hard.”

“Famous last words,” Chuck muttered under his breath.

It wasn’t that bad - the first batch of dough didn’t turn out quite right, but by the second they seemed to have smoothed out the difficulties. Herc carefully cut out little star and heart shaped cookies and then smiled when he looked over and saw that Raleigh had flower all over his face and primarily located around his nose.

Raleigh grinned at him. He was unaware. Herc glanced around quickly and then reached over and used his thumb to wipe the flour off of Raleigh’s nose. “Ah,” Raleigh said, and smiled at him. “Thanks.”

Frosting was more chaotic since Nick and Kira were involved while Evie got strapped back to Raleigh’s chest. She mostly just stuck her hands in the frosting and licked them while the other two were charged, along with Chuck, with decorating. The kids mostly tossed sprinkles around or, in Nick’s case, smushed their cookies into the debris. Chuck took his task seriously.

“They are...” Kira said, carefully. “красивый.”

“Pretty,” Mako translated. Kira nodeded.

“Well,” Chuck said. “You just have to...have a steady hand, right?” He picked up the sprinkle jar and lightly tapped it, covering a Christmas tree in green sprinkles. “See?”

“Hmm,” Kira said. She picked up a jar and then slowly tapped yellow sugar onto her star.

“That’s really good,” Chuck said. “Here, we can put one of these silver things in the middle.”

 _Maybe there was hope_ , Herc thought. He smeared some more white frosting onto a heart and handed it to Nick.

“Thank you,” Kira said. She smiled up at Chuck and he nodded.

“Here, we’ll do this ornament together,” Chuck said.

“What?” Kira asked, and Mako translated after typing into her phone. Kira nodded.

“Red, please,” Kira said.

“Sure,” Chuck replied.

Herc couldn’t help but catch the glance between Mako and Raleigh. He smiled, himself. Deep down inside Chuck had a soft center - probably as soft as Max was. Probably shaped like Max was. Buying that dog had been one of the best parenting decisions Herc had made.

* * *

“Santa is going to know how to find me here, right, daddy?” Nick asked Raleigh on Christmas Eve while Herc and Mako attempted to make dinner.

“Yes,” said Raleigh. “Santa always knows where you are.”

“Because Santa is a creepy fu-”

“Chuck,” said Herc. Chuck and Raleigh had been reading stories with the kids in the living room and playing ball with Max.

“Santa is a kind, benevolent old man who knows everything about all the children in the world,” Chuck said, and grinned at Nick.

“Also, you wrote him a letter and said you and Evie would be here,” Raleigh added.

“This is not going as planned,” Mako said. At first Herc thought that she meant the whole Christmas adventure, but then he realized she was referring to the mashed potatoes she was attempting to make.

“Butter,” Herc said. “We’re just going to add some more butter. It’ll be fine.”

“Have you cooked often?” Mako asked.

“Don’t eat anything that man makes!” Chuck said.

“Then why did you volunteer him-” Raleigh began.

“I’m worse,” Chuck replied.

“Oi, come on, can’t fuck up a ham,” Herc said. “We just have to warm it up.”

Dinner wasn’t bad - not great, and Herc decided that if they did this next year it might be best to have some catering brought in. They had cookies for dessert, and then Raleigh grinned at all of them.

“Um, I wanted to - when I was little, we used to unwrap one present on Christmas Eve.” He smiled at all of them - yet there was something slightly unhinged there. Herc approved of this.

“PRESENTS!” Nick said. Herc didn’t doubt that he and Raleigh came from the same gene pool.

“PREZ!” said Evie.

“Come on, I know just the ones,” Raleigh said. He handed each of them boxes - Nick couldn’t wait, and began to tear into the package immediately.

Max lunged for the wrapping paper and tugged at it. Chuck raised his eyebrows. “Oi, Max, that’s-”

“No, he can help,” said Nick. Max tore at the paper further and seemed quite pleased with himself. “Christmas pajamas!” Nick said. They had small polar bears all over them. Evie’s were covered in little reindeer and Kira’s had snowflakes on them.

“Thank you, Uncle Ralya,” she said.

“You can wear them tonight,” Raleigh said. “And tomorrow. All day.”

Kira glanced over at Mako. “Of course,” Mako said. “It is Christmas.”

She opened her own package and shook her head. Raleigh had somehow found a pair of footed pajamas that matched Kira’s. “We will look wonderful. Thank you, Raleigh.”

Herc glanced down at his own package with some trepidation. Inside, he found a pair of green and red flannel pajamas. “Thank you,” he said. “These will be nice and warm.”

“Come on, Uncle Chuck!” Nick said.

“Riight,” Chuck said, and legitimately smiled when his Christmas pajamas had little bulldogs with santa hats on them. “Thanks, Raleigh. These are great,” he said. Raleigh smiled back.

“You are welcome,” Raleigh said. “OK. We’ve got some movies to watch.”

They changed into their pajamas and Herc immediately layered another sweater over his. Herc made hot chocolate for the kids and Chuck poured out large portions of Bailey’s Irish cream for the adults. After Herc handed the mugs out he noticed that the chairs and couches were all pretty much occupied.

“There is room next to Raleigh,” Mako said. Herc met her eyes and then nodded.

The kids were enthralled by the Grinch, and Mako knew it was coming before it happened. She was just surprised it was Kira. “You are like this Grinch, Uncle Chuck,” she said. Her eyes were wide and serious, so Chuck opened his mouth and then closed it.

“Grinch!” said Evie. Mako kicked Chuck and grinned at him.

“You have a dog,” Kira added - to show her work.

“Yeah,” Chuck said. “But I don’t - I _like_ Christmas.”

“Now,” said Mako. Chuck’s heart had grown several sizes over the last few days, it seemed. He sighed.

“Fine,” he said. “Sure.”

“He is very good now,” Kira added.

They put in a movie about Rudolph next that Raleigh claimed was a classic. At some point, around when the Bumble appeared, Raleigh shifted and pressed his thigh against Herc’s, and he put his foot against Raleigh’s. Neither of them moved and continued sipping their drinks.

* * *

“You sure they’re asleep?” Chuck asked.

“They are all tucked in,” Mako replied.

“Chuck used to be the master at that, though,” Herc said. “Would creep down at one, two in the morning. Wouldn’t sleep all night. You were a sneaky little fucker.” Chuck grinned at this. He looked less like an asshole in the Santa Bulldog pajamas, though.

Mako sipped her Bailey’s and began to pull the toys she had purchased for Kira out of the box they were in - she had debated wrapping them, but then Raleigh told her his had never been wrapped when he was a child and he was going to continue that. “Would you like to help put this together?” she asked Chuck, pulling out the package for roller coaster construction kit that you would send marbles through.

“Oh, um, sure,” Chuck said. Raleigh was arranging all of Evie’s baby toys and singing along to the Christmas song on the radio. Max huffed from the blankets he was buried in.

 _This was a very good idea,_ Mako thought. _Especially considering-_

She watched as Herc stepped in to help Raleigh as he moved to Nick’s toys. Raleigh had got him a beginning train set and the two of them began to debate how to put it together in earnest.

It was not something she had ever considered before. Part of her wondered if it was just Herc’s response to the children - and that was a whole can of issues, in and of itself. Another part of her thought that Herc was too old, had too many issues...but then again, it wasn’t like Raleigh came baggage free. She was just biased, being his co-pilot. Raleigh had joked, when she kept interceding with his flirting at a bar following the close of the Breach, that she should just develop an application.

“This is pretty cool,” Chuck said as he slid the pieces of the marble roller coaster together. “Painting supplies is asking for it, though.”

“She has expressed interest in art,” Mako replied. Everything she had read indicated she needed to encourage whatever interests Kira had, so long as they were within reason.

“Just gonna make a mess, is all,” Chuck said.

Mako shrugged, then looked at the enormous dragon Raleigh was propping against the wall. “That is...something.”

“Yeah, Evie likes fairy tales,” Raleigh said. “So we need a dragon to slay.” He glanced at all of them and shrugged his shoulders.

“Well,” Herc said. “Hopefully you’ve got a sword in there.”

Raleigh met Mako’s eyes and she ducked her head and smiled.

* * *

“Momma.”

Mako turned and opened her eyes. She had been having a strange but pleasant dream.

It was still dark outside.

“Uncle Ralya woke me.”

“Hmm,” Mako said. She glanced at the clock. It was six in the morning.

“He jump on me. Time for presents,” Kira said.

“Yes, he would,” Mako mumbled. “All right.” Kira smiled at her.

Mako was relieved to smell coffee when she got downstairs - and Herc handed her a cup without her even asking. The kids had dove into the toys, pulling apart the meticulous scene that they had somewhat drunkenly organized last night. It was a good thing that Mako had taken some pictures. They’d wound the train tracks underneath part of the marble rollercoaster.

Max had taken a liking to the dragon and was climbing over it, sniffing it, while Evie jammed one of her toys into her mouth and drooled. “Max, no!” Chuck said, as Max began to flick his hips into the dragon.

“Oh dear,” Mako said - especially since the dog wasn’t fixed.

“What is Max doing?” Nick asked.

“That is what, uh, dogs do when they like something,” Raleigh said. Mako shook her head - she believed in being honest, at all times, except...well.

“PRESENTS!” said Nick, “there are presents!” Herc got Max off of the dragon by crinkling up some of the wrapping paper for last night.

“Yes,” said Raleigh. “Hmmm. Who is going to play Santa?”

“SANTA!” said Evie, and almost fell off the couch. Chuck immediately reached for her and appeared surprised that she was nonplussed at her slip.

“Flexible and bouncy,” Raleigh said. He had got a Santa hat from...somewhere and put it on Herc’s head. “Hand them out one at a time, Santa,” he said. “Oh, and we need an elf-”

“Oh no,” Chuck said, with Evie precariously balanced in his lap - Chuck looked a little terrified, actually, and Mako was trying her hardest not to laugh. "I don't want to break her."

"You can't, you're fine," Herc said. Chuck remained unconvinced.

“Santa’s helper,” said Raleigh. “Er, co-pilot-” He wiggled an elf hat at Chuck, who looked like he was going to snarl at Raleigh.

“He was more my-”

“Put the elf hat on, Chuck,” Herc said in that stern tone he almost never dispatched anymore. It used to be reserved for teenage Chuck’s antics. Chuck sighed and put the hat on. “Hand this to Nick.”

The children went first, with some assistance from Max - he was taking all the paper back to his bed and building a fort of his own, it seemed. “Clothes!” Nick said. “I don’t need-”

“You got toys from Santa,” Raleigh said. Nick rolled his eyes.

“Oh, look, this is from...Max,” Raleigh said. He narrowed his eyes at the book - _How to Find the Best Dog For Your Kids_ it said.

“What?” Chuck asked. “I mean, uh, Max is surprised you don’t have one already.”

“Ah,” Raleigh said. “Well, thanks...Max.” Max looked up at him, waiting for wrapping paper.

Chuck shook his box. “Oh, no, this better not be-” It was - the sweater was not only lumpy, not only had a “C” on it, but there was also a bulldog knit alongside the letter. “Fucking hell,” he said.

“Fucking!” said Evie.

“Chuck!” said Raleigh.

“Put your damn sweater on,” said Herc.

Kira laughed - and it surprised Mako. She was still adjusting to humor, presumably as she attempted to translate words and situations in a timely manner. Mako ruffled her hair. Chuck struggled and put his sweater on and then Mako reached over at put the elf hat back on him. His expression was priceless. Mako was glad Raleigh took a picture of it.

“You can use that on your card next year,” Raleigh said to Herc.

Mako, Kira and Herc both put their initial sweaters on, yielding a room full of people in hand knit sweaters and pajamas. Raleigh took a picture of that as he got more coffee.

“Max got me a present!” Nick said. “And Evie!” Max began to tear at the paper before Nick even started unwrapping the present. “Max! Oh, look, he got us koalas!”

“Nick, you were supposed to wait your turn,” Raleigh said.

“Sorry,” Nick said. “Thanks, Max!” It took Mako a moment to realize that it was genuine. She giggled.

“I have…” Kira held her stuffed animal up and looked a bit concerned.

“Platypus,” Chuck said. “There’s a book about it, too, in there. And the koalas.”

“Puss!” said Evie.

Mako shifted some paper aside and her eyes teared up slightly - there was the same book, twice, one in Russian, one in English. She looked up at met Chuck’s eyes. “This was very thoughtful,” she said. Chuck shrugged.

Herc’s smile was wide and brilliant.

* * *

It got colder, and Herc put another sweater on after they came in from snowman making. Herc had put Evie on his chest in the carrier so that Raleigh could get more actively involved - but it mostly so he didn’t have to die in the snow himself.

It made him feel like an old man. He kept his mittens on as they settled the kids in for bed - they were exhausted after presents, falling off their sugar high, and constructing a large and unwieldy snowman with Chuck’s elf hat on it.

“I am going to bed as well,” Mako said. “This was a lovely day. Thank you.”

“Oi, not bad,” Chuck said. Mako elbowed him. “I guess I’m tucking in as well.”

Herc looked at Raleigh, who grinned at him - and he felt that tight feeling in his stomach he had felt last night, like he was some teenager sitting and watching a movie with the girl he liked and...shit, he was done for.

“I, um,” Raleigh said. “This was really nice…”

“It was,” Herc said. They looked at each. They blinked. “Fuck it,” Herc said.

He closed the distance between the two of them and put a hand on Raleigh’s jaw. He stroked it. Raleigh sighed and closed his eyes. Herc leaned in, Raleigh leaned in, and they bumped noses. “Fuck,” Herc said.

“No, it’s…” Raleigh kissed him properly, then, slow and opening his mouth carefully, moving his tongue softly against Herc’s own. “C’mon,” he said, “let’s get those sweaters off of you.”

“Well-”

“I think we can find a way to, uh, keep you warm,” Raleigh said.

* * *

  
Raleigh eased his first sweater off and the laughed. He had crinkles around his eyes. They were new, Herc thought, and possibly because of the kids. “Two sweaters?” Raleigh asked.

“It is fucking cold, Raleigh,” Herc replied. Raleigh made a soft humming noise and then ran his hands down Herc’s side. Then he sat down on the bed.

They got tangled up with each other, legs twining together as they kissed. Raleigh initially let Herc take control but then turned him onto his back and straddled him. He sucked at Herc’s earlobe and it made his cock twitch, he hadn’t realized something like that could be a direct line down to his cock. “Fuck, Raleigh,” Herc said. Raleigh had a smug grin.

“You got another one under this?” Raleigh asked and peeled the “H” emblazoned sweater off along with Herc’s undershirt. He leaned in and kissed down Herc’s neck, sighed against his neck and then began to kiss his chest until he got to his nipples.

“Raleigh, that’s, fuck...oh,” Herc said, arching his back as Raleigh tongued around his nipple, sucked it, bit it. He suddenly felt hypersensitive and shifted so he could get his cock against Raleigh’s leg, get some friction. “Yeah, oh-”

“So responsive,” Raleigh said. “And fuck, your cock feels-”

“Well…” Herc said. There was some difference in opinion on his cock, usually ranging from _you want me to put that in there?!_ to _well, I hope you’re good at foreplay, fuck_.

“-amazing,” Raleigh said. “Fuck, I can’t wait to get that in me.”

Herc blinked at him and Raleigh grinned, sat up, and pulled his own t-shirt off. Herc’s mouth opened slightly - Raleigh was a little slimmer but still rippling with muscle, and when he twisted to his side there was a particularly good view of his physique.

“Or do you...because that, I like that too,” Raleigh said. His eyes were wide but his smile wavered a bit.

“No, I…” Herc paused. “I’m good with both, so if you want…”

The smug look Raleigh had earlier returned, and really, it was almost too much. Herc bucked against his leg. “Good,” Raleigh said, and somehow managed to slide out of his pants as he remained on top of Herc.

Herc took the opportunity to grab him and pull him over to his side so he could pull off his pajama pants. Raleigh immediately reached and put a hand over his cock.

“God, Herc, this is...didn’t realize you were packing all of this.” It should have sounded like a line from a porno, but Raleigh’s voice was smooth and eager. Herc groaned as Raleigh stroked.

He produced lube from somewhere and slicked up both of them, took them in his fist together. “All that, just for me?” he asked. Raleigh nuzzled into his neck and kissed, then sucked.

“I…” Herc said. “Ah.” The enthusiasm was something he hadn’t encountered before and Raleigh was almost vibrating with it. He kissed Herc, putting pressure into it, and then began to buck his hips into Herc. “Raleigh, you keep that up…”

“Right, that’s a good point,” Raleigh said. He put the lube in Herc’s hand and grinned at him. Herc rolled him over, put a pillow underneath him. He started at Raleigh’s neck and slowly kissed down. His skin was smooth, delicious, and Herc traced patterns down his spine. “Oh, geez, Herc, fuck…”

He licked down the cleft of Raleigh’s ass before he placed his hands on Raleigh’s ass and Raleigh groaned. “Heeeerc…” He slowly spread him open with his tongue and his hands and then swirled his tongue around his hole. “Fuck, fuck, fuck!” Raleigh said. Herc licked, flicked his tongue, lapped it and then swirled around his hole again.

“Need you to be nice and open,” he said before moving his tongue inside. He pressed inside in increments.

“Yes, for your big cock, please, Herc,” Raleigh said. Herc squeezed each globe of his ass and massaged it as he worked Raleigh open, then slid a finger in right up to the knuckle along with his tongue. “Oh God…”

Herc took time, pulling his mouth back and spreading and stretching Raleigh with his fingers while he groaned and kept talking beneath him. Herc felt himself blush as Raleigh kept going on about the size of his cock, arching his hips to get Herc’s fingers deeper inside him. It figured Raleigh would constantly talk, would narrate the entire thing.

Herc was three fingers deep and grazing Raleigh’s prostate when he said, “Please, now, Herc, I need that cock stretching me open and fucking me and…”

Herc reached for Raleigh’s bedside drawer - if the kid had lube, it stood he would have condoms - but Raleigh grabbed his hand by the wrist. “I’m clean,” he said. “I haven’t…”

“Yeah,” Herc replied. “Good.”

Raleigh rolled over and his own cock - not unsubstantial, in Herc’s experience - was hard against him and leaking. Herc leaned down, he couldn’t resist, and sucked on the head and pulled the precome off. “Fuck,” Raleigh said, and spread his legs as Herc lubed his dick up.

“Slower,” Raleigh said. “I wanna watch, yeah, just stroke yourself like that, fuck, Herc, you’re huge and gorgeous I want that cock so bad…”

Herc looked down at him, at the almost stupid happy grin he had on his face and the blonde hair that was mussed up and all over the place. He smiled back and had to reach forward to run a hand through that hair before he lined his cock up and slid the first inch in.

“Oh, yeah, Herc, that’s so...just fuck me, fuck me open, I want it…”

Herc wasn’t going to follow that request. He slid in slowly and stroked a hand down Raleigh’s side. Raleigh reached for him and twined his fingers with Herc’s hand. He sighed as Herc sank in, and it had to hurt, but Raleigh met his eyes and looked fucking ecstatic.

“You feel amazing, Herc, so fucking thick-”

“You feel good, too, ah…” Herc managed. He felt amazing, actually, warm and so fucking tight around Herc’s cock. He was squeezing him, too, and moving his hips to get Herc in deeper. Herc sunk in the last few inches, a bit surprised that they had managed without any fuss. Raleigh was beaming at him.

“Just hold still for a moment,” he said, and picked his legs up and wrapped them around Herc. He pulled him in a bit closer. “Aah,” he moaned, “Now move, fuck me.” He squeezed that hand that was still linked together.

Herc complied - moving slow not just for Raleigh but his own self preservation. After a few hard, slow strokes he pulled almost all the way out and then slid all the way down on Raleigh.

“God, yes, Herc, fuuuuuuuck!” Raleigh said, and Herc knew he’d found his target.

They moved in almost perfect symmetry after that, Raleigh matching his hips to Herc’s thrusts. Herc got lost in the kid, the heat and intensity and the deep, appreciative moans. Raleigh put his other hand on Herc’s ass and squeezed, pushed him in. “Deeper, fuck, get in deeper Herc, don’t hold back, yeah, yeah, yeah!”

Herc used his other hand to start stroking Raleigh - and it only took two or three turns over his head before Raleigh closed his eyes and came all over Herc’s hand. “Don’t stop, please, don’t stop, Herc, this is - fuck, fuck!” Raleigh was looser around him and Herc pressed in fast, hard, and then came himself buried deep inside Raleigh.

Raleigh didn’t speak for some time. Then he opened his eyes and grinned at Herc. “Oh, God, Herc.” Herc slid out and moved alongside Raleigh. They were both flush and shining with exertion. “Told you I’d keep you warm,” Raleigh murmured, and then put his head on Herc’s chest. He ran his thumb over the dusting of hair Herc had on his chest.

“You delivered,” Herc said. Raleigh kissed him and stroked his hair.

“That was amazing,” Raleigh said. “Your dick was amazing. I don’t know how I lived without it, fuck…”

“Aah,” Herc said. He felt himself blushing. “Um, that’s nice.”

“I think I might have been suffering for lack of your cock, honestly,” Raleigh said.

Herc did the only thing he could think of and kissed Raleigh to shut him up.

* * *

Mako startled when there was a knock on her door. “Yes?” she asked.

“We’re switching rooms, Mori,” said Chuck. She cracked the door open and looked out at him.

“Sorry?” she asked.

“You encouraged it,” Chuck said. “And I am not listening to that.” Mako grinned.

“I do not think it will be good to have you in the bed if Kira has a nightmare,” Mako replied.

Chuck frowned slightly. “She has them often?” Mako nodded. The orphanage in Vladivostock had appeared clean and well provisioned, it was still and orphanage. And she had visited after the kaiju war had ended.

“Why don’t you come in,” Mako said. “We can watch a movie.”

Chuck considered this, then nodded. Mako opened the door and startled when Max waddled in, though she really shouldn’t have been surprised.

“He doesn’t need to listen to that, either,” Chuck said.

“No, of course,” Mako replied, and hefted Max up onto her bed.


End file.
